Favorable for an induction

That's me. I went in to Labor&Delivery today to have them check me out. I was getting annoyed and frustrated with the lack of progress. I was starting to think that my doctor didn't really know what she was talking about when she last checked me. Turns out, I was right. I'm 2cm dilated, 50% effaced and Jax is sitting at a -3 station, which means that his head isn't engaged in my pelvis but he is definitely moving down. All of this adds up to the fact that I am considered favorable for an induction, which is GREAT news! It basically just means that once I get induced, it should work well and *hopefully* not end in a c-section. Please continue to pray that I go into labor on my own. But if I don't, please pray that I will get in for the induction on Monday. On top of that, please pray that everything goes smoothly with the induction and that it works quickly and effectively so that my body can do the rest on its own. 

Thank you all so much for your love, support and prayers! 

41 weeks and an update

So... tomorrow I am 41 weeks, aka OVERDUE!!! I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and somehow, nothing has changed. That's right. From two whole weeks ago, NOTHING. Lord Almighty, I have no idea how that's possible but apparently it is. We've been walking about 3 miles everyday and I've been cramping a lot. But still... NOTHING. My doctor scheduled my induction date for Tuesday, which is June 2nd. I am supposed to be induced on Monday but they didn't have any availability. I have to call at 530am Monday morning to see if something opened up. Pray that the girls who are supposed to get induced on Monday go into labor on their own so that I can take their Monday slot. Better yet, pray that I go into labor on my own this weekend! 

I went to do a NST (non-stress test) today to make sure that Jax is still doing ok. I was hooked up to a heartbeat monitor and a contraction monitor for about 20 minutes. They basically just check to make sure his heartbeat is normal and that it gets faster when he moves around. It was fun to listen to his heartbeat skyrocket as he was moving around. Everything was how it's supposed to be, except for the whole I'm-still-pregnant thing :) They also did a quick ultrasound to make sure that he still has enough fluid to swim around in. That was normal too. So, basically he's just comfy-cozy in there and does not want to come out. He's stubborn like his mama. Darn it! I'm scared for Ryan and I as Jax grows up. He's gonna be a handful!

That's the latest and greatest. Even though this whole thing is frustrating, it is nice to know that it will only be 5 more days at the most until we can hold him in our arms. I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Boo

Nothing is happening. Just thought I'd let ya'll know.

Contractions

It's 10:20 pm and I've been having some contractions for over two hours now. They aren't really hurting. And I don't even know if they are real. It's very confusing since I've never been through this before. Please, Jesus, let them turn into something productive!

40 weeks

...and still pregnant. Today is my due date. It's 7:27 pm... so it looks like I will not be having a baby today. It's really hard to just sit and wait and have no idea what is going on. I've been pretty crampy off and on for the past few days. So, I think that's good. Plus Jax has DEFINITELY dropped. Or at least started to drop. Luckily, I'm not feeling a ton of pressure, but my tummy is much lower than it has been up until now. My mom and I have been walking 3 or 4 miles everyday so I think that is helping a bit. Ryan is now on leave and doesn't have to go back until 10 days after I have Jax. We are all just hanging out, trying to pass the time. It's relaxing but it's also rather annoying. I just wish we could get on with it already! 

At the most, I will be pregnant for 10 more days. My induction date (to my knowledge) is June 1st, so TEN DAYS. That's it. I just keep trying to tell myself that. However, I really do not want to get induced. Please continue to pray for us. Pray that Jax is continuing to thrive. Pray that labor will come soon. Pray that it will go smoothly. Pray that we will have a happy, healthy baby and a happy, healthy mama! 

We will try to let everyone know once there is news. Thanks for all the love and support. Peace out :)

It's mama day!

My mom is in the air on her way here! YIPEE! I can't wait until 7pm!

However, apparently Jax isn't nearly as excited as I am because nothing has changed. NOTHING. GRRRR! My doctor said I am still between 1 and 2cm. No cervical change. The only thing is that he has dropped a little bit, but he isn't locked into position. She can still move his head around which means he needs to get further down. I hope my mom brings her walking shoes because that's all I plan on doing for the next.... well, until I go into labor! 

Please pray that things progress and that I don't have to get induced. I really want my mom to have time with him. If I have to get induced it won't be until June 1st or 2nd, so she'll only have a few days. I don't need her to be here while I'm pregnant, I need her to be here once he's born. 

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

Princess Party

Here's a few pictures from Taylor's 3rd birthday party this afternoon. She isn't so good at posing for pictures. And I even let them take a picture of me... YIKES!

39 weeks

And no picture. Because the few pictures I've taken over this past week have made me feel like a cow/beached whale/any other overly large animal. However, when I look in the mirror, I don't feel bad. It's the picture proof that really does me in. Does that mean I have good self-esteem? Maybe that's a good thing. Either way, no more pictures until this kid comes out of me. I've taken to dressing and undressing when Ryan isn't looking. And sneaking into bed and under the covers before he gets a glimpse of the jiggles and stretch marks. The last few weeks of pregnancy are not pretty ya'll.

Moving on. I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday. Things are continuing to progress. I am almost 2cm dilated. Yay! My cervix is softening but not effacing (getting shorter and thinner). Boo! And he still hasn't dropped. Boo! After seeing my disappointed face, my doctor quickly reassured me that I have made progress since a week ago and that, in and of itself, is a really good thing. So I guess I'm happy. I still haven't felt any contractions, but I have been pretty crampy, so I know things are happening. Only two more days until my mom gets here, so hopefully once she's here, Jax will realize it's time to move on out!

We have Taylor's 3rd birthday party to go to this afternoon. It's a princess party. Jen got her tons of dress-up clothes, so we decided that we would get something else. We got her a water caterpillar toy. It hooks up to a hose outside and water sprays in all directions out of its arms. That should be fun for her! I'll try to post some pictures later. I may or may not be in them.

Window-gazing

That's all I'm doing right now. It's 9:50 and I just barely rolled, and I do mean ROLLED, out of bed. I feel lazy for sleeping in so late everyday, but then I just tell myself that I'm never EVER going to be able to do this again. Too bad my hips are screaming at me in the mornings and so I'm not very comfortable anyway. 

I'm trying to spend these last few days doing things that I enjoy because once Jax gets here, things change. Permanently. I know that eventually he'll start sleeping through the night and we'll be able to leave him with a sitter and all that good stuff. But still. Things change. I'll still have to get up earlier than I want to. We'll still have to make sure we are home at a decent hour so we can put him to bed. Babies change things. I'm not sure Ryan has realized that yet, but I certainly have. I'm really realizing how close we are to having a baby in our home. It's very surreal. I'm so very excited, but also nervous. I'm good with babies, but I've never had to take care of one FULL TIME. It's a bit nerve-wracking. 

However, more than anything I just feel like I'm ready. Ready to not be VVPG anymore. Ready to sleep without my body screaming at me. Ready to not have to wonder when it's going to happen. Ready to see Jax's little face, fingers and toes. Ready to be a mommy. I'm just ready.

Mommy Dearest

Mom

I just want to say that you are the most amazing mom a girl could ask for. You are always there for me. You always know the right things to say. You have made me into the woman I am today and for that, I am so thankful. You are always a Godly example of how to live my life. I thank God all the time for giving me such a fantastic woman as my mother. If I can be half the mom to my kids that you are to me and Ryan, I will be eternally happy. Thank you again for all that you do. 

I love you so much!!!

Happy Mother's Day--- as a mom and a nana!

Sew... a needle pulling thread

I have finally finished! I've been working on a quilt for over a YEAR now. It started out as something to do while Ryan was gone for two weeks. Then when I found out I was pregnant, I decided it would be a baby blanket. Good thing I picked shades of blue when I first started! It sat in the closet for months, but just recently I pulled it back out. I was determined to finish before Jax arrives. And now it's done! It's definitely not perfect. I've never made a quilt before... but if I do say so myself, it looks pretty darn good!

Here's the front...

...and here's the back

(sorry, it's kind of the same color as the carpet!)

While I had my sewing machine out, I decided to sew curtains for the little window in our entryway. We are in the process of replacing all the blinds, and this LITTLE window is too small for the blinds that we chose. So, a new curtain it is...

38 weeks!

Only a few days left! At the VERY MOST, I will be pregnant for 22 more days and that's only if I don't go into labor on my own and have to get induced. I will be shocked if that happens though. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday (Friday) morning and everything looks good. His heartbeat was strong and he was moving around while I was laying down. My doctor kept saying "there's another body part sticking out". It was too cute! I'm also dilated 1cm... which is good because that means things are happening. And I really wasn't expecting that because I haven't felt any contractions. Now, I know that girls can walk around for weeks at 1 or 2cm, but at least it's progress. It means that my body is doing what it's supposed to. So overall, things are good. My mom gets here in 9 days, so I'm hoping to at least make it until then. I figure that 9 days is hardly anything, but the second she gets here, this little boy better get to moving out! I can't believe it's the end already. SO EXCITING!!!

Seriously...

I've decided that the last few weeks of pregnancy SUCK! Just a warning to you other VPG's who read this blog (you know who you are)... it's no fun at all. I'm trying to last until my mama gets here in 13 days... not like it's up to me or anything. I just need to get through these 13 days and then this kiddo SERIOUSLY needs to pack up and get out. He's getting close to overstaying his welcome!

37 Weeks... aka FULL TERM

That's right ya'll, I'm officially considered full term this week. And boy, do I look like it. Jax is all baked and ready to come out! Now, I know I probably won't have him for another 2 weeks at least, but it really makes me feel better to think that I could have him at any time. I'm sooo very ready to be un-pregnant. I'm feeling pretty good overall. I've been getting a fair amount of sleep and I don't do much during the day. I just try to keep busy with some good books, TV, addressing baby announcement envelopes and fixing up the house. My goal is to start walking as much as I can. It was raining today so that didn't really help, but hopefully tomorrow I can get a good amount in. I don't think I'm going to write much about how big Jax is because at this point, babies are all so different it's just a totally random guess. He gains about a half pound a week, but that's all I really know. He's still head down and that's what I care about most! No C-sections here, hopefully. 

One final piece of GREAT news... Ryan just got assigned to his new unit and they aren't scheduled to deploy until late next year!!! Yahoo!!! That means he won't miss out on all the fun firsts for Jax. It's just more proof of God's perfect timing and plan. Love it.